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Central America: Competition 2018

July 2018

In this section we identify 20 leading lawyers who stand out for their expertise handling a wide range of competition law matters including antitrust investigations, transactional matters and regulatory issues.

Most Highly Regarded

1. Claudio Donato Monge

Zurcher Odio & Raven, San José

2. Ricardo Alfredo Duarte Jimenez

García & Bodán, Tegucigalpa

3. Uri Weinstok

BLP, San José

4. Pamela Sittenfeld

BLP, San José

Costa Rica

Leading Costa Rican outfit BLP impresses this year, with two top-tier individuals highlighted for their competition law expertise.
“High-profile” lawyer Uri Weinstok is “one of the biggest names in the market” according to sources, who consider him “an excellent lawyer” with “extensive competition experience”.Pamela Sittenfeld is “a very well-known competition lawyer” and widely considered “one of the best”. She is commended for her impeccable knowledge of national competition law.

ZURCHER ODIO & RAVEN also performs well and sees two excellent competition lawyers recognised.Claudio Donato Monge ranks among the elite practitioners in our research. Sources describe him as “a renowned name in the market” who stands out for his impressive antitrust practice.
With more than 25 years’ experience Ignacio Gallegos is a long-standing fixture in this market, and garners praise for his strong track record coordinating complex merger control cases.

Edgar Odio at PRAGMA LEGAL is regarded as “a dedicated competition law practitioner” by commentators, who consider him “one of the most reputable names in the market”.

El Salvador

ARIAS is recognised for its strong competition law practice and sees three leading lights highlighted for their excellent work handling a range of competition law matters.Fernando Montano wins high praise for his “outstanding communication skills”, as well as his vast experience advising clients on a range of antitrust and merger clearance issues.Eduardo Ángel is internationally regarded as a leading name in the region, and receives plaudits for his first-class dispute resolution practice. He regularly represents prominent clients from a variety of industry sectors in high-profile antitrust proceedings.Mario Lozano impresses market commentators with his “leading practice in corporate, finance and competition matters”. Respondents regard him as an expert on the complex regulatory and competition law aspects of mergers and acquisitions.

Antonio Mendez at ROMERO PINEDA & ASOCIADOS boasts “a very strong practice” in the competition space. Sources comment that he is “very prominent” in the market and is an expert when it comes to handling complex antitrust matters.

Honduras

GARCIA & BODAN also boasts a strong market presence, seeing two practitioners recommended for inclusion.Ricardo Alfredo Duarte Jimenez enjoys a superb reputation in the market for his far-reaching expertise. He is regularly sought after by key clients thanks to his deep knowledge of antitrust regulations.Jazna Vanessa Oqueli De Riera is widely recognised for her expertise when it comes to handling sophisticated transactions for domestic and international companies.

Juan José Alcerro-Milla at AGUILAR CASTILLO LOVE is “the leading lawyer dealing with competition law at the firm”, according to sources. He is “extremely knowledgeable about competition matters” and boasts extensive experience handling complex transactional issues.

Panama

MORGAN & MORGAN demonstrates its antitrust expertise with two leading lawyers selected for inclusion in this chapter.María Eugenia Brenes wins praise for her strong track record handling the antitrust aspects of major transactions for clients from a wide range of industry sectors, including food and beverage, automotive and financial services.Carlos Ernesto González Ramírez leads the firm’s antitrust and consumer protection group, and is renowned for his excellent work assisting multinational corporations with a wide range of antitrust issues.

Nominees have been selected based upon comprehensive, independent survey work with both general counsel and private practice lawyers worldwide. Only specialists who have met independent international research criteria are listed.